Cycle roadside breakdown Rescue

[Jeanette Morgan]

My biggest fear is having a problem with my bike at the side of the road, and perhaps more particularly that my husband, who has a chronic heart problem, but gets great benefit and enjoyment from cycling on his Ezee Sprint, breaks down and needs assistance.

Obviously a mobile phone is essential, and trusting that any such breakdown would occur in an area where the phone worked! We live in Cornwall where there are uncovered areas.

We always ensure we have phone numbers of friends who may be able to come to our rescue if they were at home at the time although it would be difficult to get an Ezee Sprint into the average family car. We cycle together sometimes, but a lot of the time we are separate, I commute, and he goes out for exercise and chores etc.

Is there a cycle equivalent of RAC or AA ?

What do others do in such cases - I do my best to ensure our bikes are in tip top condition with full batteries, however, I do rely on my bike shop for servicing and the more difficult things. It could be very difficult to push a damaged bike home, particularly an electric one.

Many thanks for your input
Jeanette

 

[flecc]

Most areas have some taxivan services Jeanette, and I've seen others post that they use those and have the numbers with them.

There is the odd specialist service in a few areas where cycling is very popular. One long established example is Bike Rescue at York, who provide a variety of services, on-road repair, bringing out a replacement bike, and repairs after breakdown ready for someone at the end of their working day.

Of course they'd only look after the cycle aspect, but the rescue elements would apply to our electric bikes as well.
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[electric.mike]

whilst i cant help with the breakdown cover i would say we never go out without our cycle locks, even if we know we wont be leaving them just in case something happens and we have to leave them somewhere.
mike
ps i know the d locks are probaly the best but we allways have a chain as well, there are things you cant get d locks round and with a break down you cant choose what you stop next to.

 

[rsscott]

Hi Jeanette,

ETA do a cycle breakdown cover with optional puncture assistance. You can read the details here:

http://www.eta.co.uk/pages/Cycle-Rescue/21/default.htm

 

[redalpha3]

I have ETA insurance for my bike. It is quite a reasonably priced package and does have a rescue service. I think the only proviso is that you carry Photo Identity of some kind. I can't tell you about the service though as I've not needed it....yet!

 

[Jeanette Morgan]

Many thanks for all the comments on this subject, I shall explore Taxivan, and if that is not available here in Cornwall I shall strongly consider the ETA cover.

We always take locks with us wherever we go, however, we often cycle in very rural areas where there would be hardly anything to lock the bike against.

I'm pleased I posted the question.

I think this Forum is invaluable for the inexperienced such as myself. I love cycling, within my limitations, i.e. not in the pitch black, or the extremely adverse weather. I often find myself defending to my friends and colleagues at work, the fact that I cycle in today's traffic and conditions and sometimes their comments play on my mind. It's always reassuring to browse this Forum for encouragement and answers to nagging questions.

 

[flecc]

I love cycling, - - - - - -- - -I often find myself defending to my friends and colleagues at work, the fact that I cycle in today's traffic and conditions and sometimes their comments play on my mind.

After over sixty years of cycling during much of that, plus 54 years of motorcycling, I haven't an injury of any sort. During that time I've known many who've seriously hurt themselves in car accidents.

Your friends and colleagues perhaps forget that it's not vehicle types that have the accidents, it's the people who operate them.

A sensible and watchful person on a bike is far safer than a careless and inattentive person in a car.

Any adult who cycles has chosen the most pleasant form of transport, so by definition is more sensible, stacking the safety odds a bit in their favour.
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